Device for removing eyelets

ABSTRACT

A device for removing eyelets, in particular stainless steel eyelets, from textile or plastics sheets is provided. Eyelets in textiles or plastics sheets, for example in lorry tarpaulins, wear through in the course of their use and thus have as a rule a significantly shorter service life than the textile or plastics sheet. Thus, it is usual and economically worthwhile to replace the worn-through eyelets with new ones, in order thus to be able to exploit the total service life of the textile or plastics sheet. The removal of eyelets previously has been effected as a rule by hand, which is time consuming and uneconomical. Thus, there is provided a device for removing eyelets, in particular stainless steel eyelets, from textile or plastics sheets, having a claw head for pressing a beading of the eyelet in the direction of the eyelet center point or in the opposite direction.

This is a United States national stage application of InternationalApplication No. PCT/DE98/03221, filed Nov. 5, 1998, which in turn claimsthe benefit of German Patent Application No. 197 51 960.1, filed Nov.24, 1997, the benefit of the filing date of which is hereby claimedunder 35 U.S.C. §119.

Device for removing eyelets, in particular stainless steel eyelets, fromtextile or plastics sheets.

Eyelets in textile or plastics sheets, for example in lorry tarpaulins,wear through in the course of their use and thus have, as a rule, aservice life which is significantly less than the textile or plasticssheets. For this reason it is usual and economically worthwhile toreplace the worn-through eyelets with new ones, in order thus to be ableto exploit the total service life of the textile or plastics sheet.

From DE 36 33 539 A1 there is known a device for placing metal eyeletsinto the tarpaulins of lorries, or the like, which consists of a toolholding the eyelet upper part and a tool holding the eyelet lower part,whereby the two tools can be brought together in such a way that thetube-shaped neck of the eyelet upper part engages through thepreperforated tarpaulin and its free edge is flanged around behind theinner edge of the ring-shaped eyelet lower part, the tool holding theeyelet lower part being arranged in the tool receiver of a hydraulicstamping cylinder and the tool holding the eyelet upper part beingarranged in the tool receiver of an hydraulic flanging cylinder, and thetwo cylinders being connected with one another with an approximatelysemicircular yoke. Although it is proposed in this document to use thedevice also for the removal of eyelets, in that stamping tools areplaced in the tool receivers of the two cylinders, with which stampingtools the inner edge of the metal eyelet is cut off, this configurationvariant has not found favour. The reason for this can be understood tobe that the device is relatively bulky and that the stamping off of theinner edge requires high pressures (higher pressures than the flanging),and leads to damage to the tarpaulin.

From DE 93 15 550.6 U1 there is known a tool for placing eyelets, inparticular stainless steel eyelets, into textile or plastics sheets,which likewise is of a tool element holding the eyelet shaft part and,positioned opposite thereto in the usage disposition, a counter-element,holding the eyelet disc, with the interposition of the sheet, wherebythere is provided for guiding the eyelet shaft part a centrally movablestamp, which slightly projects beyond the free edge contour of theeyelet shaft part, and an embossing stamp, surrounding the centralstamp, movable relatively thereto, for embossing self-stamping eyeletshaft parts. This device is not suitable for the removal of eyelets.

From EP 0 655 205 A2, finally, there is known a press driven by apressure medium, in particular an hydraulic eyelet press, forperforating sheets and emplacing edge reenforcing eyelets for the hole.This press consists of a cylinder housing with two pistons, nestedwithin one another, of which one deals with the flanging operation andthe other the hole stamping operation. Here also, no possibility for theremoval of eyelets is provided, so that the removal of the eyelets mustbe effected manually.

It is thus found to be the case that in practice eyelets are stillopened in a complicated manner by hand, which is uneconomic.

From DE 32 16 179 C2 there is known a device for releasing fixedlyrivetted eyelets which reinforce the edge region of openings in a sheet.The device has on the one hand a stamp and on the other hand a stampreceiver which with their oppositely acting cutters separate an innerring zone of the eyelet from an outer ring region of the eyelet.However, this solution has not found favour in practice.

It is thus the object of the invention to provide a device for theremoval of eyelets, in particular stainless steel eyelets, from textileor plastics sheets, which is easy to handle and which is economic inmanufacture.

The object is achieved in that there are provided means for pressing abeading of the eyelet in the direction of the eyelet middle point or inthe opposite direction.

One configuration of the invention consists in that, as means forpressing the beading of the eyelet, there is provided a substantiallycylindrical or oval claw head having claws that can be spread apart fromone another and can be closed.

It is within the scope of the invention that the claw head is formed asa substantially cylindrical tube section and has a plurality of clawsseparated from one another by means of axial incisions, which claws are,in the non-operative condition, spread apart from one another, and whichcan be pressed together by means of pushing over a control cylinder,over at least a part of the claw head.

Thereby, it is advantageous that at least 8 claws are provided.

Another configuration of the invention consists in that the claw headconsists of radial claws attached at the end of a cylindrical tubesection in a jointed manner, which claws can be spread apart fromanother by means of drawing a cone arranged within the claws, and whichcan be pressed together by pushing over a control cylinder over at leasta part of the claw head.

A further development of the invention consists in that the claw headcan be connected with a carrier tube which is displaceable, by means ofpressure medium, within a housing, towards its forward end, and in thata control cylinder is arranged around the carrier tube, which controlcylinder can be carried along with the carrier tube upon displacementthereof, and in that the control cylinder is displaceable, by means of apressure medium, with respect to the carrier tube located in an endposition, further in the direction of the forward end of the housing,over at least a part of the claw head.

It can also be provided that the claw head is connectable with a carriertube which, by means of pressure medium, is displaceable within ahousing towards its forward end, and that a control cylinder is arrangedaround the carrier tube, which control cylinder can be carried alongwith the carrier tube upon displacement thereof, and that the controlcylinder is displaceable, by means of a pressure medium, with respect ofthe carrier tube located in an end position, further in the direction ofthe forward end of the housing, over at least a part of the claw head,and that there is provided a displaceable cone arranged in the axialdirection of the housing.

In accordance with the invention it is advantageous that an anvil partis connectable with the housing, onto which anvil part the eyelet to bereleased can be brought.

It is also expedient that the device has means for stamping holes in thetextile or plastics sheets.

It likewise lies within the scope of the invention that the device hasmeans for placing eyelets in the textile or plastics sheets.

Further, it is useful that for stamping of holes a stamp head can beconnected with the carrier tube, and for the applying of eyelets, arivetting head can be connected with the carrier tube.

Finally, it is advantageous if the anvil part has a magnet.

The advantages of the present invention lie in substance in that adevice is provided with which eyelets can be opened with the applicationof relatively little force. Due to the relatively slight pressures ofthe pressure medium necessary therefor, the device can be constructedhandily and thus can be manufactured economically. With the device,eyelets can be removed directly at the installed textile or plasticssheet. By means of the possibility to use a stamping head or a rivettinghead instead of the claw head, there is provided a tool suitable for allactivities required in connection with eyelets.

In the following an exemplary configuration of the subject of theinvention will be described with reference to drawings.

There is shown

FIG. 1 a device in accordance with the invention in an initial condition(partial view),

FIG. 2 a device in accordance with the invention in a working condition(partial view),

FIGS. 3a, 3 b, 3 c a claw head in accordance with the invention, in aside view and in two views from above (opened and closed position),

FIG. 4 another claw head in accordance with the invention, in a cut-awayillustration,

FIG. 5 a device in accordance with the invention in an overall view,

FIG. 6 a device in accordance with the invention, with a rivetting head,

FIG. 7 a device in accordance with the invention, with a stamping head.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the device in accordance with theinvention consists of a carrier tube 1 which is axially displaceablyarranged within a housing 2. The displacement of the carrier tube 1 iseffected by action on the rear surface 3 of the carrier tube 1 with a ispressure medium, for example with compressed air or hydraulic oil. Thecarrier tube 1 can be displaced within the housing 2 up to a chamberring 4, which is secured against the housing cover 6 by means of asupport sleeve 5.

Around the carrier tube 1 there is arranged a control cylinder 7 whichis form-fittingly connected with the carrier tube 1 and thus is carriedalong by means of the carrier tube 1 until the carrier tube 1 impacts onthe chamber ring 4. The rear surface 8 of the control cylinder 7 canlikewise be acted upon with a pressure medium, whereby the controlcylinder 7 is displaced along the carrier tube 1 forwardly over the clawhead 10. The carrier tube 1 has a threaded sleeve 9 upon which, inaccordance with FIGS. 1 and 2, a claw head 10 is applied.

The claw head 10 can, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a, 3 b and 3 c,be formed as a substantially cylindrical (or oval) tube section whichhas a plurality of spring elastic claws 11 separated from one another bymeans of axial incisions. In non-operative position (FIGS. 1, 2, 3 b, 3c) the claws are spread apart from one another. Expediently, they havehooks 12 directed towards the middle axis of the claw head 10.

FIG. 3a shows how, through displacement of the control cylinder 7 overat least a part of the claw head 10, the claws 11 of the claw head arepressed together.

Another configuration of a claw head is illustrated in FIG. 4. Here,individual claws 11 are Pointedly attached to a cylindrical tube section13, radially, so that with their forward ends they can be pivotedconically outwardly beyond the tube diameter (open position, FIG. 4) andcan also be pivoted cylindrically approximately to the dimensions of thetube diameter (closed position). The pivoting outwardly is attained bymeans of a cone 14 drawn from the outside into the tube section 13, andthe closed disposition is attained by means of movement of the cone inthe direction out of the tube section 13 and by the action of thecontrol cylinder 7 pressing on the outer region of the claw head 10.

In the overall view of FIG. 5, there are illustrated the pressure mediumconnections 15 for the carrier tube 1 and 16 for the control cylinder 7,and an anvil part 18 connected via a yoke 17 with the housing 2. Theanvil part 18 serves for holding the eyelet. As illustrated, the yoke 17may also have handgrips 19 on which there are expediently arranged theactuating members 20 for the device in accordance with the invention.

For removal of an eyelet, first the carrier tube 1 is acted upon withpressure medium and travels forwardly until it impacts on the chamberring 4. By this means, the claw head 10 is moved into the open positionover the beading of the eyelet located on the anvil part 18. Then, thecontrol cylinder 7 is acted upon with pressure medium and likewisetravels forwardly, whereby it travels at least partially over the clawhead 10 and exerts pressure on its outer surface so that the claws 11 gofrom the spread-apart disposition into the closed disposition andthereby press the beading of the eyelet towards the eyelet middle point,until the eyelet is able to be removed. With eyelets with which thebeading must be pressed outwardly, the movement is effected in theopposite direction.

Finally, FIGS. 6 and 7 show a rivetting head 21 and a cutting head 22which can be placed in the device in accordance with the inventioninstead of the claw head 10. The rivetting head 21 serves in cooperationwith the anvil part 18 for rivetting eyelets into the sheets inconventional manner.

The stamping head 22 serves for the production of holes in the sheet,e.g. after a repair of the sheet. For this purpose, a sleeve may beinserted over the anvil part 18, which sleeve is held by means of amagnet 23 located in the anvil part 18. The sleeve serves as counterpartto the stamping head 22 and has a depression corresponding to the stampdiameter.

Thus, with the device in accordance with the invention, and withoutremoval of the sheets, repairs in the eyelet region can be effecteddirectly at the vehicle. Also in the case of the replacement of eyeletsin awnings, tenting etc., repair can be carried out without priordisassembly.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for removing an eyelet from textile orplastics sheets, comprising a substantially cylindrical or ellipticalcylindrical claw head for pressing a beading of the eyelet in adirection of a middle point of the eyelet or in an opposite direction,wherein the claw head has claws which are moveable between a firstposition in which the claws are spread apart from one another and asecond position in which the claws are closed, wherein the claw head isformed as a substantially cylindrical tube section having an axis, whichtube section is constructed to include integrally therewith a pluralityof the claws, which are axially-extending radially-spaced claws that arenormally in the first position, a control cylinder configured forsliding over an outside of at least a part of the claw head to presstogether the claws into the second position, and an anvil for locatingthe eyelet to be removed with respect to the claw head.
 2. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the eyelet is a stainless steel eyelet.
 3. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the claw head has at least eight of the claws. 4.The device of claim 1, and further comprising a housing, and a carriertube set within the housing for attachment of the claw head and actedupon by a pressure medium for displacement in a direction to and from aforward end of the housing, wherein the control cylinder is disposed insurrounding relationship to the carrier tube and is conjointly moveablewith the carrier tube until the carrier tube reaches an end position,wherein the control cylinder is configured for further displacement bythe pressure medium relative to the carrier tube so as to allow thecontrol cylinder to slide over at least a part of the claw head and tomove the claws into the operative position.
 5. The device of claim 4,wherein the anvil is configured for connection to the housing forplacement of the eyelet to be removed.
 6. The device of claim 5, andfurther comprising a magnet integrated in the anvil.
 7. A kit,comprising: a pressure medium operated system including a carrier tubeand a control cylinder operatively connected to the carrier tube andadapted for conjoint movement with the carrier tube as well as movementrelative to the carrier tube; wherein the carrier tube has means forinterchangeably attaching any one of a claw head, stamping head, or ariveting head, the kit including: the claw head being detachablyconnectable to the carrier tube, the claw head being for pressing abeading of an eyelet in a direction of a middle point of the eyelet orin an opposite direction to thereby allow removal of the eyelet fromtextile or plastics sheets, wherein the claw head has claws moveablebetween a first position, in which the claws are spread apart from oneanother, and a second position, in which the claws are closed, whereinthe claw head is formed as a substantially cylindrical tube sectionhaving an axis, which tube section includes a plurality of axialincisions to form the claws, wherein the control cylinder is configuredfor sliding over an outside of at least a part of the claw head to presstogether the claws into the second position; the stamping head beingdetachably connectable to the carrier tube for punching holes in thetextile or plastic sheets; and the riveting head being detachablyconnectable to the carrier tube for placing an eyelet into the textileor plastics sheets an anvil for locating a portion of the textile orplastics sheets that is being operated on by a respective one of theclaw head, the stamping head, or the riveting head with respect to therespective one of the claw head, the stamping head, or the rivetinghead.